This review aims to determine the role of the various investigation techniques in the management of coronary artery disease and their resource implications, and should help determine future service provision, accepting that we are in a period of significant technological change.

A report from the British Cardiovascular Society Working Group throws light on the future of coronary angiography - a technique which is at present, the most popular test among the physicians in the diagnosis and management of the ischemic heart disease.

Coronary angiography has been the gold standard for determining the severity, extent and prognosis of coronary atheromatous disease for the past 15–20 years. However, established non-invasive testing (such as myocardial perfusion scintigraphy and stress echocardiography) and newer imaging modalities (multi-detector x ray computed tomography and cardiovascular magnetic resonance) now need to be considered increasingly as a challenge to coronary angiography in contemporary practice. An important consideration is the degree to which appropriate use of such techniques impacts on the need for coronary angiography over the next 10–15 years.

This review aims to determine the role of the various investigation techniques in the management of coronary artery disease and their resource implications, and should help determine future service provision, accepting that we are in a period of significant technological change.

This news story has been reviewed by Dr. Rashmi Yadav before its publication on RxPG News website. Dr. Rashmi Yadav, MBBS, is a senior editor for RxPG News. In her position she is responsible for managing special correspondents and the surgery section of the website. Her areas of special interest include cardiothoracic surgery and interventional radiology.

RxPG News is committed to promotion and implementation of Evidence Based Medical Journalism in all channels of mass media including internet.

Additional information about the news article

The report appears in latest edition of Heart 2007, a journal of BMJ Publishing Group Ltd & British Cardiovascular Society

The authors involved in the report: 'Role of non-invasive imaging in the management of coronary artery disease: an assessment of likely change over the next 10 years. A report from the British Cardiovascular Society Working Group' are
A H Gershlick, M de Belder, J Chambers, D Hackett, R Keal, A Kelion, S Neubauer, D J Pennell, M Rothman, M Signy and P Wilde

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